KOTODAMA
"The soul that resides within words."
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Chapter XI
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He had been walking for about an hour now, in order to save money on the train ticket. He was, quite literally, without a yen in his pockets, after having spent the last of his capital that same morning, buying Shippo's breakfast. The boy didn't even look at him as, in low spirits, he let out a thanks.
Despite what it may look like, he knew the boy was regretting what had happened, and the many problems he was causing because of it. InuYasha, too, couldn't deny being angry at Shippo, his rebellion, and everything he now had to do to deal with it; however, that wasn't a reason for him to stop taking care of the teenager, for such was a decision InuYasha made a long time ago, a conviction not so fragile as to only carry him through the good things. That was what taking care of someone truly meant, after all.
He knew, as well, that stealing a wallet or "borrowing" something from the marketplace could help him solve the situation, yet such habits were not the ones he wanted to live by. Right now, thanks to the hours of work he had ahead, through midday and the next one at the marketplace, he should be able to finish paying Shippo's doctor, with enough leftover to eat for a few days and maybe even visit Myoga, something he had been unable to do for too long.
Out of his mind, his steps made him pass by a shop that seemingly sold clothes and accessories. Curious, he got closer, and caught that none of the articles in exposition had a price tag; that could only mean that even just one of them could give him enough to eat for a whole month or more. Before that thought, he couldn't help wondering what could go through someone's mind to spend such amount of money in a purse or a jacket… did it feel that good to put them on? Could such things make them feel above the rest?
Probably.
But that only reinforced his already conceived idea of a broken, depressed, and even monstrous society they lived in. In the end, he sighed; who was he to judge others, after all?
His steps resumed then, sparking the thought that, given the amount of walks he'd taken lately, he may need to buy new shoes, since the ones he was wearing had already lost the sole's drawing, from use. It would be great to find some other job, an honest job, but such a thing was hard when one could not give references of previous studies, or prior working experience. Kagome had offered to pay him if he were to pose for her, but the mere idea was already strange, albeit her knew worse things could be done for money.
Was she the kind of person who would buy a purse for huge amounts of money?
The question, however, lost meaning as soon as he noted the weight of the purse he carried, one made from used jeans and that he was using as a satchel. The thought brought a smile to his features, almost involuntarily, and for a moment he felt something beautiful was part of his life now, even if it was just an illusion, even if it was just passing by.
As he started toward his destination once again, he marveled at the memory of the vivid red of Kagome's cheeks as she asked him to be his model, a memory reaching out to him from a different feeling, far from the surprise of the moment; he didn't know what may be his decision, nor was he about to choose now, he was just in the middle of the emotion born from watching her ask that. She was beautiful, he wasn't blind, and so he had felt attracted to her since they met; yet what he was feeling at the moment was different. Before him, there was another kind of beauty, one full of subtleties and emotions sheltered by thought, and that seemed to shine in the light of her eyes.
He laughed at himself then. He should probably stop reading so much poetry, for his thoughts were becoming too corny for his own good.
In his reverie, he didn't quite realize when he arrived at the agency where he worked some days, for a few hours. InuYasha greeted the receptionist with a gesture of his head, one he got back when the person recognized him, then he called the elevator and waited for it to descend while looking at his reflection in the clean aluminum on the frame and doors. Once they were opened, he made way for the people coming out, then stepped inside, where he found himself alone before pressing the button for the third floor, place where the agency was. In that brief time, he allowed himself to sigh, his mind wandering through random thoughts, seeking to diminish some of his exhaustion… and one of them, caught his attention: the clear picture of a shrine maiden attire. Such picture faded soon after, however, when the bell of the elevator arriving at his floor called his mind back to reality, and his figure was soon seen coming out and turning left. Next, he rang the doorbell, knowing himself being watched through the security camera by one side, and after a few seconds, the way opened into a small reception with one door on each side, and a desk at the end, right besides a wider room of which he, despite not being able to see yet from the entrance, knew it was there from his previous visits.
Hitomiko appeared from the door to his left.
"Good morning, InuYasha." She greeted him with a small bow, then invited him to step into the room.
"Good morning." He greeted back, as he followed her.
The place was the usual, where he received the details about today's job.
"Today you'll have a date with a new person." Hitomiko began to explain. She was the owner of the dating agency, or to be more accurate, rental family or friends.
At the beginning, InuYasha felt confused before the idea of the job, not understanding quite well what it was about. He had accepted it, thinking he wouldd understand as he went, which he did.
It wasn't hard to do, once you understood it, even if at the start he felt strange before the prospect of having to be an actor for someone seeking to fill a void in their life, even if for just a few hours. He did feel, however, kin to that feeling of solitude, for it had been part of his life since forever; so kin, he would often think it intertwined with his soul. However, intertwined was also a sort of warmth, one he couldn't quite discern its source, but that would make him have hope.
"It's a woman." Hitomiko was reading the profile from her laptop. "Her name is Kyoko, and she'll be expecting you to fulfill the role of a friend, to go out shopping. You must dress casually, but elegant, and requested that you to tie your hair."
"Very well. I'll do it." He accepted, not bothered by the indications, for such was the job and his part to play.
"You know where to find what you may need." The woman made a gentle gesture with her hand, pointing to the room right beside the one they were in, then smiled politely.
InuYasha stepped inside the dressing room, a sort of huge closet with clothes for both, women and men, organized by size and color in a way easy to understand for anyone in need to dress the part. He skimmed through his options; the considerations awake in his mind.
"Casual, but elegant." Was his repeating thought.
Perhaps some dark jeans? Maybe a shirt, not too formal? He'd need a jacket.
Once he made his choice, he went inside a small room to change his clothes, which he did quickly yet unhurried, before looking himself in the full-body mirror inside the same room. He shrugged, believing his attire appropriate; the shoes too were comfortable, and he thought he'd like a pair just like it. Next, he sunk his fingers into his hair, and run them through it in order to get rid of any knots before tying it into a loose ponytail. Finally, he stepped outside and stored his own clothes inside a locker, together with the satchel that by now was part of his dress code.
Outside, Hitomiko received the key to the locker, then handed him a note with the address where he was supposed to meet his customer, together with what he may need to reach the place.
The journey there was short, however; the time he spent in the train didn't go over the twenty minutes mark, which in turn made him arrive early. He had one way to recognize the person waiting for him: a piece of cloth that would highlight their identity, while he himself would be spotted from his looks alone, since his picture had been chosen through the agency's website.
He waited for nearly ten minutes, observing those passing by, looking for the woman in blue dress he was supposed to meet. As soon as he located her, however, he had no doubt it was her.
"So, Kyoko?" He said as a greeting when Kikyo stood in front of him.
"That shirt suits you." Was the answer he received.
"This is strange, why are you doing this?" They didn't talk to each other. They weren't friends. They barely knew each other, really.
"You need to work, and I need someone to go shopping with." She shrugged an answer, as she looked for something inside her purse.
Kikyo would always be in company of one or two guards, and he couldn't recall to had ever seen her alone, yet that was precisely the case now.
"Well…" she began to say, "we have much to do."
She took two steps ahead of him, while InuYasha tried to keep his mind cold; it was just two hours of work, and it was true that he needed the money.
"Tell me, rental friend, what do you do?" She began a conversation, as the sound of her half-height heels, comfortable by the looks of it, filled the air. "And give me your character's version, of course." She smiled. "I already know the other one."
InuYasha, however, remained silent. The situation felt absurd to him, strange, humiliating even.
"Nothing? I guess I'll have to leave a bad score on your conversation skills." She was amused, by her tone of voice; it seemed Kikyo was having a good time. InuYasha, on his part, chose the safest path; he knew how to be professional, after all.
"From what I understand, you want to go shopping. Where is our first stop?" He asked, walking now by her side with his hands in his pockets, keeping up appearances.
Kikyo looked at him through the corner of her eyes, with that peculiar curiosity of hers InuYasha had learnt to read with time.
"There are many here, we'll probably stop by a few." She explained. "But first, we'll eat something."
InuYasha shrugged. He wasn't about to refuse a free meal.
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This was now the second shop Kikyo visited. The price of the clothes was hanging from them, tied by a small string, and every time InuYasha would steal a glance at the numbers written in them, his mind couldn't help making a quick calculation of how many plates of nutritious food he'd be able pay for, or how many pairs of shoes he could buy; all very simple. It wasn't as if he wanted to constantly question those who could pay thousands of yen in a blouse, like the one Kikyo was holding against her figure now, before a mirror; It wasn't like that, he just couldn't help observing how little equality there was in everything.
"What about this one?" She showed him. It was a pale, green blouse, with a lace tied at the end of a wide neck that drew small cleavage. The cloth seemed delicate; silk, probably.
"It suits you." He accepted, trying to be objective, and so get a good score that should help him get another job just like it.
"Are you sure? Isn't it too pale?" She insisted.
Kikyo's skin was light-toned, delicate and soft, almost as if it couldn't allow imperfections. Any color would suit her.
"Yes, I am." He assured.
She looked herself in the mirror, to check what he had said.
"Alright, I'll take this one." She addressed the woman attending her. "And the dark blue pants too." She pointed.
InuYasha wondered if Kikyo had always been like this, or if it was a sort of aspect she had developed by Naraku's side. He knew the man had that ability to potentiate a certain side of people, as long as doing so served his goals.
"Now we just need a pair of shoes." Kikyo got closer to him, a hint of a smile playing on her lips, one he thought almost honest.
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Kagome would like to say her world was just as peaceful as it had been a few weeks ago, however she couldn't lie to herself; nothing was the same, despite being now at her job, everything around her almost emanating normalcy. A few days ago, when she arrived at the temple to see her family, her mother had been worried because of how late she was, yet she managed to calm her by mentioning her drawings, and how time would just pass her by when she was focused. Her mother, a kind woman who was always willing to harmonize any situation, just made a slight gesture with her head that sounded to Kagome as she was like that. It wasn't enough that she could make a living from her drawings, even so it was still seen as a hobby. Even the very prejudice seemed normal.
"It's coming along nicely." She heard master Izumo's voice behind her.
"Thanks." She replied. "Do the leaves show enough movement?" she sought to know since the man was reviewing her work, a drawing of a landscape in the story that master Izumo was publishing, about a minotaur that during the day turned into a human.
"They have enough movement." He accepted, cheering her up. "Well done."
She felt pleased, albeit maybe a bit less that she should or would have a few weeks ago. Her thoughts and interest, she knew, were somewhere else right now.
"We are finished for now. Time to eat." The master announced.
Kagome nodded, added a finishing touch to her work, then began to put everything in order to go out. Today she hadn't brought food, so she would get something at the nearby coffee shop instead. She went through the messages on her phone, and found out Yuka and Eri wanted to visit them, Ayumi and her, in their apartment. It was Thursday, and there was no issue; they could always hang out a while, then sleep just about enough to go back to work tomorrow. She needed the feel of normalcy as well, and there was nothing more common than to have dinner with her friends.
"It will be great!" she replied.
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In the small living room of the apartment Ayumi and Kagome shared, there was a source of laughter, cries and nervous expressions around the game keeping their attention, together with their friend's who came for dinner.
On the table at the center of the living room, which doubled as a kitchen, there was a game of Jenga that was the focus of everyone around, as they procured the pieces kept their balance. To the corners of the table, there were plates with some snacks that composed their dinner.
Eri was the most dexterous of the group, she had been since forever, and even so her hand trembled as she pushed out one of the pieces of one side of the softly swaying tower. A held back silence filled the air, one that seemed about to be broken at any time, in a clamor of equal victory and defeat.
On the background, a song that was trending played in low volume.
Everyone released a sigh when Eri managed to pull the piece out, and kept it in hand for a moment before placing it on the top of the tower.
"All yours, Kagome." She smiled.
Kagome made a gesture as a way of exaggerated thanks, then poked a piece with her fingers a few times before giving up and moving to another. There was no way she could pull that one out. The procedure was similar, soft pokes here and there, keeping her breathing under control as to not make any sudden moves that may get in the way of her objective. She let out a sigh of relief as soon as she had the small wooden block in her hands, and saw the structure still standing. Ayumi clapped softly, barely gesturing it, and Hojō cheered; there was still the last part, to place the piece on top of the tower without it crumbling. The tension was high for a little while more, then receded once Kagome managed to do it, her shoulders dropping in ease.
"All yours, Yuka." She smiled at her friend.
"Now, now, I will lose." She said, in the same way she had said the previous round, and the one previous to that one.
Kagome felt comfortable in the midst of that normalcy, to be with friends she had known for a long time, to be enjoying her time with them. However, she had the feeling her world was now wider, and now that instant that should have been her everything, was but a part of it… and she needed that which she lacked.
"Your phone." She heard Ayumi say, as she tapped her shoulder.
"What?" She asked, distracted.
"Your phone. It's ringing." She pointed along the hallway, towards her room.
"Oh, of course. I'll be right back." She apologized, then carefully stood up.
"This is just an evil plan to make me lose." Yuka called out, with an expression that brought a smile to Kagome's face. Her phone kept ringing in the background.
"You've found me out." She smiled at her, enthusiastic.
Next, she walked down the hallway in hurried steps, hoping the call to cease before she managed to answer, which wasn't the case. The phone now in her hands, she looked at the number, trying to discern if it could be someone she knew, albeit after a quick mental check, she realized half of them were now in her living room. The phone rang again then, startling her despite knowing she should had expected it, a fact that made her laugh at herself.
Unknown number.
"Hi?" She answered, unsure. Her heart went out of rhythm due to the expectation.
"Hi, Kagome. It's InuYasha."
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To be continued.
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A/N
Much more information in this chapter, many pieces taking their place, and emotions doing so too. I hope you've enjoyed it, and that you tell me in the comments.
A kiss,
Anyara.
This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart